


Ask Not for Whom the 8ell Tolls

by gossameryChronicler



Category: Homestuck
Genre: Gen
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2011-06-18
Updated: 2011-06-18
Packaged: 2017-10-20 12:49:00
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Major Character Death
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,151
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/212944
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/gossameryChronicler/pseuds/gossameryChronicler
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Just a short thing detailing the Thief's final moments, mostly in her own head. Criticism welcomed and encouraged.</p>
            </blockquote>





	Ask Not for Whom the 8ell Tolls

You lie sprawled on the cold stone floor of the asteroid, struggling to keep your eyes open as the shimmering blue lifeblood pumps from the gaping wound in your chest. Your fingers flex and claw through the thick pool forming around you as you strain and attempt to push yourself up, but each weakening pump of your heart drains another pint of strength from you, and even the simple task of breathing begins to grow overwhelming. For the first time in a long time, you feel so, dare you say it, weak. The taste of that warm cerulean swill you call blood passes over your tongue as it pumps up your throat, leaking past your clenched teeth and lips and joining the puddle on the floor. The pain in your chest radiates intensely, but each pulse numbs it steadily.

Just grin and bear it, Serket. It'll be fine in a little while, just fine. Just hold on a bit longer, be strong, prove to yourself you aren't pathetic. You'll die, sure, but in just a few minutes you'll be practically shitting rainbows, and you'll get all that filthy blood right back, and you can show those chumps how much they need you, make your Sister regret plunging that stupid cane through your chest. Make them all regret calling you such a huge bitch.

You did some shitty things, Serket, but you did them with good intentions, yeah? Okay, maybe killing two of your friends and blinding a third weren't really done with such great intent, but two out of three of them worked out, right? Terezi loves being blind, and Aradia... alright maybe only one of them turned out well. But still! Just hold on a few minutes. You can still prove you're not what they think you are. 8r8k the mold, turn over a new leaf, whatever term you wanna use, it's gonna happen. Just get ready to stand up, fly off this rock, and punch that demon thing right in the snout, establish the shit out of your superiority before you kick is glowing omnipotent ass into the ground.

You can't keep your eyes open any longer. Just gotta save all of your energy for breathing now, keep your heart pumping and your breath flowing. You're not gonna let your friends down, not at the dawn of your finest hour. Not because one of them didn't believe in you. They need you. And you're going to save them, and help make sure most of them get the happy ending you all went in hoping for. It's the least you could do for the ones you love, even if every last one of them hates your guts now. You'll stand triumphant over that green, flickering monster, and hell maybe you'll even fix that door or something. Pull it open, lead your friends through, and then...

Then you can collapse into his arms for some well deserved rest. Maybe fall asleep on a human couch watching that perfect street tough renegade muscle his way through the bad guys and into your heart. With the last of your strength you smile, and translucent blue tears join your blood on the floor as you weep with joy at the thoughts of your own promises. Hold his hand, kiss his cheek. Give up all that bitchiness and violence and live a happy, human life with your friends and this beautiful human boy. Or the closest you can come, at least. Being both an alien and god tier might throw a few wrenches in the "normal human life" department, as well as the lack of any real home to go to, but you'll cross that bridge when you get to it.

For now, you simply fantasize, dream of the calm, relaxing, fun times still to come. Maybe you can teach each other a few pranks. Try to leave out the more lethal ones, though! And maybe you can teach him how to kiss, in a romantic way and not a "I've gotta smooch my dead friend to save her life" kind of way. He can be everything that wiggling grublette Tard-ros couldn't be, and more. Sweet, affectionate, and strong instead of weak and awkward and pathetic, but still so trusting, so easy to manipulate! Not that you'd need to, he likes you for who you are, and that's so much more than anyone has ever offered before. He sees past all of those nasty flaws of yours and, though you hate to jinx it... he may be the first to really actually care about you. You can hardly wait to meet him in the flesh, so you can really, actually thank him.

Your reverie fades. You can't hear Terezi anymore. Is she being quiet, or are you going deaf? Even the loneliest, pitch black night in your hive didn't make you feel this alone. Your breathing stops. Your heart soon follows. Here we go, Serket. Just a little longer. You lie there in darkness for what seems like an eternity. Nothing. A soft ticking echos from deep within the void. Tick, tock, tick... nothing. Your mind races as you begin to panic, only a little at first. It took John a while, didn't it? Maybe everything seems longer when you're dead. That's it, ten minutes'll seem like ten hours here, no worries! Then you'll be up, and you can save the day, just like it was supposed to be.

But the void only grows blacker. That solitude only creeps deeper inside of you. Still nothing. You wish your body would ache, or move, or feel anything at all, but no. Not even the relative blessing of unbearable pain, just pure emptiness. The familiar sensation of fear passes through your thoughts, but it is far more intense than ever before. More than the fear of real, true death, it's the overpowering fear of failure. You're the best. You have all of the luck AND all of the skill.

So this can't be the end, can it? Really? You were so close. You were so F8CKING CL8SE and that dum8 f8cking 8lind 8itch just had to STA8 YOU IN THE F8CKING 8ACK!!!!!!!! You could have done it, you could have saved them. But no. Nothing. For all your hard work, all that struggle trying to be the best you could be, all the shit you did in the name of being the epitome of your species, and all those nights you spent alone, wishing for someone to really care about you, someone who could really grab you and say "No, you're ruining yourself Vriska and I won't stand by and watch it happen", you get this. A fat pile of shit. Emptiness. Your eyes blink open as your bubble forms around you, and your first act in this fake, shitty, stupid fairytale land is to break down and sob.

All you wanted was to be the hero.

**Works inspired by this one:**

  * [And That Is Who You Are](https://archiveofourown.org/works/213382) by [Aloice](https://archiveofourown.org/users/Aloice/pseuds/Aloice)




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